Moving to North Korea
Visas and residency, citizenship, tax, company and banking, cost of living and the places to live in North Korea, in one place.
Eastern AsiaThinking about moving to North Korea?
Here's how long you can stay, the ways to live there for good, what you'd pay in tax and what everyday life costs, each figure from an official source.
In this guide, I'll show you:
- How long you can stay, by passport
- How tax works, with the rates
- What it costs, and the internet and safety
- The basics: capital, currency and languages
Pick your passport at the top of the page, and the stay rule shows for you.
TL;DRKey takeaways
North Korea at a glance
How long can you stay in North Korea?
It depends on the passport you hold.
Here's the rule for the most common ones:
US passport- Rule
- No entry
- Stay
- –
UK passport- Rule
- Visa needed
- Stay
- –
EU passport (German)- Rule
- Visa needed
- Stay
- –
Canadian passport- Rule
- Visa needed
- Stay
- –
Australian passport- Rule
- Visa needed
- Stay
- –
Indian passport- Rule
- Visa needed
- Stay
- –
For any other passport, pick yours at the top, or see every country on the visa-free countries map.
Tax in North Korea
North Korea taxes its tax residents on their income from anywhere.
See where it sits among every country on the territorial tax map.
The main rates:
- Lowest income tax band – 0%
- Top income tax rate – 20%
- Corporate tax – 25%
- VAT or sales tax – 10%
Where you're a tax resident usually comes down to days.
Count yours with the 183-day rule calculator.
Company and banking
Compare the banks and cards that work for people abroad in the bank account finder.
Move money for less with the money transfer comparison.
Many people who live abroad run a US LLC instead; check yours with the US LLC for non-residents checker.
Is North Korea safe?
The US State Department rates North Korea Level 4 ("Do not travel", updated 2025-04-29). Level 4 means the US tells its citizens not to go. Some advisories are stricter for parts of a country, so read the full advisory before you go.
See every country's level on the travel advisory map.
North Korea: the basics
| What | North Korea |
|---|---|
| Capital | Pyongyang |
| Currency | North Korean won (KPW) |
| Languages | Korean |
| Population | about 25.5 million |
From GeoNames' country data (CC BY 4.0).
More tools for North Korea
- Passport index and compare passports
- Time zone overlap calculator for calls with home
- eSIM finder for data when you land
- Card fees abroad calculator before you spend
North Korea FAQs
No entry.
Pick another passport at the top of the page to see its rule.
It depends on your passport.
Pick yours at the top of the page to see the days, and whether you need a visa first.
Not that I've found in official sources as of 2026-09-29.
The digital nomad visa finder lists every country that has one.
North Korea taxes its tax residents on their income from anywhere.
Check the details with a tax adviser before you move.
The US State Department rates it Level 4.
Levels 1 and 2 are everyday travel; read the full advisory for any regions it warns about.
The North Korean won (KPW).
The main language is Korean.
Navid Moazzez
AI business strategist & AI OS builder
Navid Moazzez helps creators and founders master AI and build their own AI Operating System (AI OS) to automate their business and life.
Navid.me is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
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